Improvement in projectiles for air-guns



UNITED STATES PATENT QEEIGE.

-HENRY M. QUACKENBUSH, `OF1 HERKIMER, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN PROJECTILES FOR AIR-GUNS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. l 73,341, dated February 8, 1876; application filed December 2l, 1875.

To all whom it may concern: *Y

Be it known that I, HENRY M. QUAo-K- ENBUSH, of Herkimer, in the county of Herkimer and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Slugs or Projectiles for Air Guns or Pistols, of which the following is a specilication In'the manufacture of air guns or pistols(wl1ich are smooth-bored generally) the great nicetywhich is observed in the manufacture of tire-arms to preserve a uniform dil v ameter of bore is not considered imperative, and the small sum for which the first are soldwill not permit of the expenditure vof time and care requisite to obtain perfect uniformity.

The purpose of ymy vpresent improvement istWotbld-firs to provide a slug or projectile for air pistols vor guns which shall adapt itself to slight variations in the diameter of the bore of the barrel in which it is inserted,-and exert sufficient friction in the latter to retain itself in place therein until expelled by the `force of the escaping air; and, secondly, to compensate forthe increased diameter of the body of the slug which results from the wear and consequent enlargenient of the matrix of the dies in which the slugs are formed, and enable the dies, which are expensive, to be used for a much longer time than heretofore. t

y My improvement consists in forming uplon the periphery of the slu'g a series of shallowribs or burrs, which, in the event of the bore of thebarrel beingless in diameter than their aggregate outer edges, will flatten down upon being inserted within such bore; but, it' the bore is equal in diameter to such edges, or nearly so, .the edges of the; ribs will, Without flattening of the latter, exert sufcient friction within the barrel to prevent escape ofthe slug. y

The drawings accompanying this specification represent, in Figure l, a side' elevation, and in Fig. 2 across-section,of a slug embodying my improvements.

In these drawings, A represents the body of a slug or projectile, which, in the present instance, is a pointed cylindrical bolt, formed from lead or other soft and dnctile metal suitable for the purpose. Upon the periph-y ery of the body A, I create a series of thin vof the slug, as circumstances may determine best, as I do not confine myself to the disposition or number of such ribs.

The method of manufacturing these slugs is by compression within orfbetween steel dies, which dies are difficult and expensive to produce, and which, in a 'comparatively short time, become worn to such an extent that the dialneter of the slug made by themis too large to be inserted within the barrel, and they are useless.

By the use of'the ribs a I am enabled to begin with dies of smaller bore than that of the barrel, as such ribs coiifpensate for the discrepancy, while, as the dies become worn, and the body of the slug enlarged, the ribs will flatten down to a greater or less extent when inserted Within the barrel.

I am -thus enabled to greatly prolong the i jrally exist'in the bore of the tube from which barrels Aare made, as with the largest bore the ribs would stand Aout nearly or quite intact and ll it, while with a smaller bore such ribs would be lessened or compressed and attened to a greater or less extent.

I claim- A slug for air pistols or guns, composed of a suitable body, upon the periphery of which a series of thin ribsor burrs are created, the metal composing `the burr, or the entire slug, being of such a soft or ductile nature that the said burrsare susceptible of' being readily compressed or iiattencd, to a greater or less degree, upon being inserted within the' bore of the barrel, and adapt themselves to thelatter, substantially as and for the purposes stated.

HENRY' M. QUACKENBUSH. Witnesses:

J. A. STEELE,

EZRA SMALL. 

